Lasse Norman Hansen pulls a track stand(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Alan Marangoni (Cannondale-Garmin)(Image credit: Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Cannondale-Garmin's line up for Paris-Roubaix includes a mix of experience and youth with Kristoffer Skjerping and Ruben Zepuntke making their debuts at the 'Hell of the North'. Dutch national champion Sebastian Langeveld has finished inside the top-ten at the last two editions of the race and has been active in the classics so far this season despite crashing out of E3 Harelbeke. In Alan Marangoni and Kristijan Koren, the team has further pavé experience.
"The whole group is focused, motivated and optimistic," sport director Andreas Klier said. "The young kids are of course excited and really looking forward to the Hell of the North. We have good and realistic goals, and we will work as a team to accomplish them. We’re ready."
Dylan van Baarle and Lasse Norman Hansen made their debuts at Paris-Roubaix last year and will return in 2015. Van Baarle started the cobbled classics with third place at Dwars door Vlaanderen but hasn't troubled the podium since.
In 2011, Johan Vansummeren pulled off a surprise victory at the race but the team hasn't managed a visit to the podium since but will know there is every possibility of springing a surprise, particularly in the absence of Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara.
The 2015 edition of the race is 253km in length, featuring 27 sectors, or 57.5km, of pavé with the Trouée d'Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and Le Carrefour de l'Arbre all receiving five star ratings. The decisive Carrefour de l'Arbre sector is located just 17km from the finish.
Cannondale-Garmin for Paris-Roubaix: Alan Marangoni, Dylan van Baarle, Kristijan Koren, Kristoffer Skjerping, Ruben Zepuntke, Lasse Norman Hansen and Sebastian Langeveld.
